Resetting the Cycle
by Jimmy the Gothic Egg
Summary: Motorcyles, dare devil boys, and a wild adventure. AU.


Based on the description of New Moon on Amazon. Non compliant with canon.

_Resetting the Cycle_

It was boredom that disturbed Bella the most, when all her thoughts were quiet. She rolled over on her stomach and poked Jacob.

"Let's do something," she said.

He turned as well, contemplating their small town. "What?"

She stood, shaking the dust off her clothes, and smiled. "Jake, we've got two very workable motorcycles, and you can't think of anything to do."

--

They rode for hours. He was apprehensive about the idea, and constantly called for her slow down, but Bella felt thrills as the wind whipped back her hair, and when she raced down the old dirt road they'd found, she finally felt free.

--

Between then and now, when Bella toppled sideways and Jacob helped her up, she realized it wasn't doing it anymore. Adrenaline rushes and all, Edward was fading.

She looked up at Jacob's concerned face, felt his touch leave her side hesitantly, heard the alarm disappear from his voice, and she wondered if this was what moving on was supposed to feel like.

­--

Bella didn't scream anymore, but she cried. In her dreams she gave heartfelt, body-shaking sobs, and woke up with tears running down her face, and always, _always_, Edward was nowhere to be found.

Then she dreamed of Jacob racing beside her, and she woke up happy.

--

Bella hung up the phone, teeth gritting in defiance, fist curled in anger.

"Are you going over to see Jacob today?" Charlie called from the other room, and her whole body relaxed, drooped, and she wiped her eyes, feeling incredibly tired.

"No," she called back. Not when he had new friends to play with.

--

They were bunched together like a pack, all watching her as Jacob walked up to her car. She glared back, hopping out to force Jacob around the other side, where they had less of a view.

His face was a dark grimace, eyes narrow and pointed. He didn't look at her when he said, "Go away."

--

Bella marched in, threw open the door to Jacob's room, and he watched her with surprise when she screamed, "You are the biggest ass I have ever met!"

A foot taller than she was, he cowered, growing considerably smaller. She grabbed him in a hug, squeezing him as if he'd try to escape (and indeed, the thought had crossed his mind).

"You could've told me," she said. "I've been dealing with vampires for the past year and you could have told me."

He laughed and hugged her back.

--

"You said you wanted to try it," Jacob said as they watched the boys jump and fall. "Cliff-diving's probably the safest thing you've done lately."

She considered. Any voices had been so quiet in her head, but she looked at Jacob, and he looked back at her.

With a sad smile, she said, "No. I'm happy here."

--

"Do you know how unsafe this sounds?"

She grinned and said, "But I even brought you extra shorts."

Jacob's transformation would always amaze her. How quick and easy it was, and he trotted towards her, invasively big. She patted his head, and he nuzzled her hand.

"It's just a test run," she said and climbed onto his back, wrapping her arms around his neck for support. She could feel him breathe beneath her, and he didn't even seem strained by her.

Like that, they were off into the night.

--

If Charlie had noticed, he'd asked Bella why she came home at eleven, face dirty, twigs in her hair. She was always exhilarated and exceptionally cheery.

If he had noticed, he certainly wouldn't have seen her three hours later, sneaking out the back door, running into the woods where excited wolves waited.

He was hoping Jacob would be a good influence, but she was downright delinquent.

--

This time they rode their motorcycles, taking back roads to avoid people who knew their parents. This time they ended up at the old Cullens' place. This time Bella stopped.

She didn't notice Jacob's expression as she walked towards the abandoned front door. The place looked like it needed an exorcism, and she sighed, placing a hand flat on the door.

She was surprised to feel Jacob put a hand on her shoulder. She smiled softly at him and instinctively leaned into his warmth. Unwittingly, she angled up towards his face, and carefully he closed the space between them.

--

"Bella…"

And it wasn't a voice in her head. It wasn't a delusion or a dream but a real life Edward Cullen sitting in her window, watching her as she stumbled in. She'd gone a month without searching for him, spent an eternity grieving and what felt like a day being capable of moving on, and he shows back up like he sensed her and Jacob. They'd kissed an hour ago, and already Edward was back to claim what was his.

For a brief moment, she was ashamed, but it washed away into anger. He had no right—

Surprisingly, he said, "I'm sorry."

She blinked. "Did you come all this way to say that?"

He was visibly hurt by her tone, and she softened. It seemed he still had some power over her.

"Why are you here, Edward?" she asked, quietly this time.

"I—Alice had some visions…"

Her mouth popped open. He _was_ here to claim what was his. Alice had been spying on her, seen her and Jacob, and Edward had come all the way here to do what? Charm his way back into her life?

Somehow, he'd gone across the room, holding her carefully, and he leaned down and kissed her. She was forced to admit melting, remembering every moment of happiness between them. Then Jacob filled her mind like a siren, and she pulled back, running into a wall, and Edward looked at her with legitimate surprise.

"You!" she gasped, pinned where she was by shock and anger. "You left me! You had to play the self-righteous vampire card and leave! Did you think I'd pine for you forever? Unlike you, I have a life to live."

Instantly, she knew she'd gone too far. His expression was a mixture of bad emotions, but anger won its fight. He threw himself back and disappeared out the window before she could say anything else.

For a moment, she wondered if he knew about Jacob at all. It didn't matter, though, and she raced out the door to find him.

--

Whatever happy ending Bella had expected, it was quickly falling apart now.

She threw herself between the brawling creatures, desperately grabbing at Edward's collar, then gripping onto any part of Jacob she could. It was harder when he was in wolf form, but she managed to get them apart and stood the distance between them. It was so hard being the only human in a world made up of movie monsters.

"This is end of it," she called. "No more fighting."

Jacob growled, and Edward matched it. She pointed warning fingers, and both seemed oddly abashed by it.

"_Werewolves_, Bella!" Edward shouted. "You cannot expect me to leave you with them."

Jacob tilted his head, and Edward's face lit up with indignant anger. It struck Bella that he would be able to read the wolves' thoughts, and she wondered exactly what he'd thought.

Her earlier comment still playing guiltily in the back of head, she refrained from pointing out how less injured she was around the werewolves than the vampires. She did say, "I've been doing fine with them, Edward."

Jacob made a noise like a snicker, and she turned on him sharply.

"Stop it!" she snapped. "_You_ are going back to La Push, and _you_," she whirled on Edward, and he looked as if he'd just been caught stealing from the cookie jar, "are going back to your family, wherever they may be. _I_ am going home, because _I _am tired."

She waited for Jacob to sulk back in the direction of La Push before stalking off. She was well aware both of them would stalk her back to her house, but honestly, she didn't care anymore.

--

"The Cullens are moving back," Charlie said to his morning coffee, and Bella ripped the bagel she'd been trying to cut in half.

"Isn't that lovely," she muttered as she tossed her breakfast onto her plate and reached for the cream cheese.

"Just in time for the school year to start."

Bella knew what she should've felt, and many of those emotions registered, but, still, in the very back of her mind, a part of her smiled.

**Notes:**

I hoped they weren't too out of character, since I haven't read the books recently. But, you know, I'm reading the Host, and basically you can take the personalities of the main characters in that, apply them to their counterparts in Twilight, and there you go.

As much as I love Bella/Jacob, it is so hard to write. Whatever, I just want to get back to writing fanfiction again.


End file.
